Markab
The Markab were members of the League of Non-Aligned Worlds before they were wiped out by plague in 2259. Physiology The Markab were humanoids with slightly bump-like, slightly scale-like shapes on their head, and a flat-like nose surrounded by shallow indentations on a pink skin complexion. There were apparently two different races amongst their people. The other had slightly different facial features and jaw set. In their brain, the neural system utilizes specialized cells distinguishable by their color, to relay body function orders''Confessions and Lamentations'' Telepathy It was never really established whether the Markabs had telepaths but it is possible. Government The Markab were probably ruled by priests and were a theocracy. This was indicated by the priestly behavior of their representatives on board Babylon 5. Society & Culture The Markab were an intensely religious people with deep-set religious rites and moral concepts, which at times seemed a little fanatical. These rites include high days of feasting which at times led to trouble, due to their people frequently trying to break it and priest catching them.Soul Mates Other rites are the use psychotropic drugs to enhance their religious experience, however these experiences can cause them to lose control.Knives They also have a legendary story of an ancient island (Drafa) whose people were struck down by their excesses and immorality. This story was told to them as children and reminded to them as adults. In reality, this was a deadly plague, named after the island, that wiped out the entire population but the people came to believe that only the "immoral" would die of it.Confessions and Lamentations On a lesser note, the Markab had a root like something that they sold which resembled a ginger root. Garibaldi, who bought one on a whim, said the translator translated it as either an aphrodisiac or a floor wax, but its actual use in ritual or otherwise was never fully explored.Infection Food & Drink The Markab had a fruit called Orcha that they turned into juice.GROPOS History The Markab were one of the "younger" races. How long they've been civilized was never really established. However, a Markab representative at a meeting of the Babylon 5 advisory council in 2259 talked of the "darkness" defeated long ago, this would seem to suggest that they knew about the Shadows, their allies and agents. Still, it was never fully explained as to whether they were advanced enough, powerful enough, or even spacefaring enough to join the military alliance that defeated the Shadows in the 13th century, although in may be possible. When Babylon 5 was created in 2257, they were one of the races to contribute to it. They were represented in the League of Non-Aligned Worlds and had a permanent seat on the advisory council. Their voice and influence must have been important, since a representative of theirs was shown with a speaker of the League in a meeting with Sinclair in 2258, discussing the cooling of tensions between the League and Earth over the Deathwalker affairDeathwalker, which at the time seemed to be a major diplomatic crisis. Extinction In 2259 the Drafa Plague, after nearly a year of quietly spreading, finally came to a head on their homeworld and abroad. Only on Babylon 5, did the disease come into full focus with the help of Dr. Franklin and the others. Despite their best efforts and no thanks to the local Markabs who refused to even talk about it or do anything about it save for Dr. Lazarenn, a more open-minded Markab doctor, who worked with Dr. Franklin but died in the midst of their research, the plague was allowed to run its course on the Markabs. The plague was prevented from spreading amongst the alien population with a serum developed by Dr. Franklin, with Lazarenn's input, but it was too late for the Markabs on Babylon 5, on their homeworld and their colonies. All Markabs perished everywhere save for some in isolated areas. This effectively ended the species.Confessions and Lamentations Afterwards During a secret mission to Zagros 7, Sheridan destroyed the Markab Jumpgate to prevent further looting and plundering of their former homeworld by others.Matters of Honor Behind the Scenes * The word Markab is a real word refering to the following: A Group of stars see http://www.astro.wisc.edu/~dolan/constellations/hr/8781.html, a word derived from Arabic see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markab and a name for a space civilization in Scientology see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcab_Confederacy, which Straczynski insists was not a referance to in anyway. see http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/040.html, http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-11675&query=Markab and http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-13624&query=Markab * There is talk of in-universe and out of universe of the Shadows or one of their allies instigating the death of the Markabs, by purposely disseminating the ancient virus and knowing that it would lead to their deaths. The reason for this was that they had began to suspect their arise again.The Long Dark Another theory is that the Drafa Plague was really a Shadow bioengineered weapon all along. For more information see http://www.midwinter.com/lurk/guide/040.html References External Links Markab at Voltayre's Encyclopedia Xenobiologica a guide to the Babylon 5 universe Category: Races